Program Overview

---

Theatre: Music Theatre Performance

The Department of Theatre at Western Michigan University offers an intensive course of study in musical theatre performance that culminates in a B.F.A. degree and the opportunity to perform a showcase in New York City for important agents and casting directors. The program offers extensive professional training in all areas of acting, voice, and dance.

Program Overview

In addition to the emphasis on performance, students participate in a two-year musical theatre performance workshop class that synthesizes the training into marketable skills applicable throughout their entire careers. The focus of the program is preparing emerging talent to enter and compete in the Broadway and regional professional market immediately upon graduation from WMU.

Course of Study

The course of study provides students with 3-½ years of private vocal instruction, training in jazz, tap, and ballet, and three years of acting training. Students also take courses in the history of musical theatre, audition techniques, music theory, aural comprehension, keyboard, stagecraft, directing, and numerous electives available to musical theatre performance students as the only cross-departmental program in the College of Fine Arts.

Performance Requirements

Each student is expected to excel in at least two of the three areas in the program—voice, acting, and dance. Within the voice area, students are to accomplish a good understanding of basic music theory, aural comprehension, beginning keyboard skills, breath, voice production, line, and placement, as well as an advanced level of proficiency as a singer of the musical theatre repertoire. To achieve this, students will complete seven semesters of private voice instruction and pass juries and hearings along the way.

Acting and Dance Requirements

In acting, students are expected to master skills in physical and emotional portrayal of character and intention, as well as an appreciation for various styles of acting and an approach to voice and movement for the actor. They are expected to demonstrate an ability to apply their acting work to their song and movement interpretation of musical theatre repertoire. In dance, students are expected at a minimum to demonstrate a Tech I level of skill in jazz dance with a proficiency in ballet.

Program Goals

The goal of this course of study is for the students to be able to bring these skills to life on the stage. All students are required to perform in University-sponsored productions and concerts, as well as approved professional and semi-professional engagements off campus that may be evaluated by the theatre, music, and dance faculties.

Career Outcomes

Recent WMU graduates with degrees in music theatre performance are working as musicians, actors, dancers, and teachers. Among the organizations they work for are theatres, entertainment venues, and movie companies.

Program Location

The program is offered in Kalamazoo.

Related Programs

Other programs of interest include Dance, Multimedia Arts Technology—Music, Music, Music Composition, Music Education: Choral/General, Music Education: Instrumental, Music Performance: Instrumental, Music Performance: Keyboard, Music Performance: Vocal, Music Therapy, Music: Jazz Studies, Theatre Design and Technical Production, Stage Management, and Arts Administration.